


In Chains

by Sashataakheru



Series: The Girl Outside 'verse [4]
Category: Electric Light Orchestra RPF
Genre: Aftercare, Blindfolds, Chains, Collars, Community: polybigbang, Complicated Relationships, D/s, Domination, Dungeon, Hallucinations, Kidfic, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Big Bang, Restraints, Ritual, Sensation Play, Service, Sex, Silence, Starting again, Submission, Subspace, Threesomes, Trance - Freeform, Whipping, chosen family, disappearing band members, established relationships - Freeform, lifestyle d/s, reappearing band members, wibbly wobbly timey wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 12:41:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3068297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three months after Roy returns from the dead, things are just as complicated as they were before, but bowing to two masters - loving two masters - is all Jeff finds he really needs, if they can make it work without Jeff and Roy tearing each other to pieces, just like they did all those years ago. </p>
<p>Written for polybigbang round six. Follows directly on from <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/670577">Tangled Up In You.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	In Chains

_December, 1983_  
The end of a long year was finally upon them. There was still Christmas and New Years to get through, but for now, things had settled down. The last three months had brought a whirlwind of change, and Jeff felt he'd barely managed to keep things from imploding. His daughter, Holly, was nearly seven, and she still seemed to be happy and well-adjusted, in spite of how Jeff felt about everything that had happened since her birth. 

So much had changed in seven years. He'd never expected he'd end up raising a child all on his own. That wasn't part of the plan. He hadn't really expected his ex to stay forever, though. He got her out of a house she desperately wanted to leave, and being married had, for a while, offered a deflection from thinking about his sexuality. And for a while, it had been alright. It had never been a joyful marriage, but their friendship was enough, for a while. But then Roy had disappeared, and Jeff's world fell apart. They spent the next five years breaking up, not at all helped by the presence of a newborn that Jeff knew wasn't his. And then she'd left, and Holly was barely two, and he was on his own.

He still wasn't sure how he'd survived until Hugh came along, but survive he did, in spite of the sleepless nights, the strained, now broken, relationship with his mother, and the occasional desire to just give her up for adoption and run away. Hugh offered friendship, support, and a chance to explore his queerness, and his submissive side. In time, he'd even come to love him, almost as much as he'd loved Roy, even though the pain of Roy's disappearance would never really leave. Hugh had dealt with it better than Jeff felt he deserved. He didn't know why he would stay when he knew Jeff loved another. But he'd stayed, and Jeff decided he liked having him in his life more than he liked being alone, and that, he felt, was better than nothing. 

Together with Hugh's friend and ex, Ruby, they'd moved in together, and made a family of their own. They'd spent the last few years taking care of Holly, and so far, it had not fallen apart yet. He hadn't known Ruby very well at first; he wasn't exactly proud that half the reason he'd wanted her to move in was to deflect any suspicion about his sexuality if it had just been him and Hugh moving in together. But as he'd got to know her better, he'd come to appreciate her friendship and support over the years, both with managing Holly, and with helping to make his relationship with Hugh work. It was still hard work, juggling their working lives around Holly, but it had become easier since Holly had begun school, and didn't need someone to be home all the time with her.

Everything had been going fine until Roy had returned in September, come back from the dead as if he'd never been gone, after vanishing off the face of the earth eleven years earlier. Jeff had never expected he'd ever see him again, and had assumed, like many, that he'd died in some strange manner that would forever remain a mystery. Jeff felt he was expected to have been pleased to see him again, and embrace him like nothing had happened, but all it had done was bring up all the unrequited love he'd had for him that he'd always found so hard to bury completely. 

He hadn't wanted to see him again, and hoped that would be the end of it, assuming Roy wouldn't force the issue and leave him alone, preferring to avoid conflict. Roy had defied him, and turned up at his door, wanting to talk. Jeff found he couldn't send him away, not once he explained where he'd been. It didn't quite heal his pain, but he couldn't turn him away, not anymore.

And when he'd finally felt brave enough to come out and confessed his love to him, he wished Roy had turned him down. Instead, Roy left him with a maybe, if it was something they both wanted, and kissed him, and Jeff felt his heart breaking. He couldn't just run away with him, no matter how much he wanted to; he still loved Hugh, and wasn't about to give him up for Roy alone. Holly loved Roy, too, because before he'd come back to life, he had been her imaginary friend who lived in a magical forest, who she called The Crying Man, even if no one else could see him. In the end, it became too hard to send him away. Saying no to both Roy and Hugh when he was presented with the chance of having two masters was just too hard in the end, no matter how complicated it might end up being. 

Through all of their initial clumsiness in trying to make their relationship work, and not just in a sexual way, somehow, it had not come undone yet. Hugh was still there, Roy was still there, and Ruby was the rock who helped temper the teething problems, and helped everyone settle down. She had proved to be an excellent mediator between the three of them, an external, neutral party who was more than happy to help them sort things out. As long as they all made sure there were boundaries, and it didn't interfere with Holly's upbringing, it had, for the most part, gone smoothly. Even if sometimes Jeff did wake up in the middle of the night to see Roy sleeping beside him, and he'd pinch himself, trying to convince himself it was real, and he wouldn't just run away tomorrow, or disappear back into that magical forest. 

And when he wasn't worrying about Roy leaving, or about Holly, he was worrying about Hugh, and trying to convince himself he could love two people equally, and not neglect them, or scare them both off, so he'd be left all alone with Holly, just like he'd been before. He'd be left to keep it all going on his own, and cope with his broken heart, and he knew Holly would worry then. The older she got, the more she noticed and remembered these things, and Jeff was always worried about what she'd think about his relationships, and whether she could even understand what he'd got himself into. Sometimes, he didn't understand it himself. Sometimes, their complicated relationship felt like the best thing in the world, the sort of magical love that only lasts for one wonderful summer, then fades into the autumn chill, never to return. 

He didn't want to hide his relationships from her forever, of course, but he always worried she was still too young to understand, and he didn't want her carrying around a secret that might just get her bullied. She'd already figured out that he loved both Hugh and Roy, though Jeff wasn't sure she really understood what that meant. He'd never really clarified it for her. One day, he knew he'd tell her, if she hadn't figured it out before then, but he wasn't sure quite when that would be.

The sharp bite of the whip hitting his back shocked him, breaking him out of his reverie. The blow had hit his left shoulder blade, and the sharp, burning pain spread quickly, making him tense up. The sound of the whip echoed around the basement walls, snapping him into focus. He wasn't sure which one of his masters had hit him this time. He was, after all, blindfolded, and chained to a bench.

"Thought I told you to bloody concentrate? Your mind's been wandering again. I thought you'd pick it up quicker than this," came Roy's disgruntled voice.

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm trying, sir, but I just-" 

Another stroke of the whip silenced him, meant to get his attention, rather than punish him. This stroke hadn't been as hard as the first, though it had hit the same spot, causing the pain to intensify. Jeff flinched at the sensation, and did his best not to make a sound. A hand moved along his back, from his bare arse to the nape of his neck. A hand that moved with experience, and quiet confidence. Jeff shivered as his fingers circled his neck, finding their way underneath the collar he was wearing, gently asserting their power, and nothing more, as they slipped up through his dark curly hair, tugging on the short ringlets. Jeff heard the soft chink of Roy's chainmail shirt shifting as he knelt down beside the bench. 

"Now, you listen to me, lad. I've been doing this longer than you'll ever know. I know this is scary for you, but I know you want this. I can see it in your eyes, and in the way your body reacts to it. You move with that whip, you take those hits, and it thrills you. You love being ordered around, and being told to let go. You've said so yourself. But I still expected a little more progress by now. I thought you'd be good at finding subspace, even if you don't go very deep right now. What's wrong, ay?" Roy said, speaking close to his left ear. 

"I-I just... I don't know, sir, I really don't," Jeff said, and he was surprised at the nervousness in his words. 

"I think he's still hanging on, still resisting. Might need to break him in some more, hey?" Hugh replied. Jeff thought he felt further away, perhaps at the other end of the bench he'd been bound to.

"Oi, don't you be hurting him. He's not like that last sub you had. He can't take that much torment. I don't want him broken," Roy said, moving away from him. 

"I never said I was going to break him, not like that. He's not that good, and I doubt that would really help, anyway. I just thought - maybe we need to do more simple training with him, y'know, start with the basics, get him used to following orders, that sort of thing. He likes the whipping, I know, but I think what he needs is to just sit at our feet and serve us for a while, just so he begins to understand his place. Maybe that would help him get better at finding subspace," Hugh said.

"He's not a servant, or a slave. I don't treat my boys like that," Roy retorted.

"But he still needs to be submissive, and that means orders. You know he loves orders. He likes it when we take all that control away from him. He's free, then," Hugh said.

"That still doesn't mean treating him like a slave. You need to remember you're dealing with a human being, and for once, he seems to love you, though I don't know why," Roy said. 

"Says the one who made me feel like such a worthless little shit I still wonder why I didn't leave you sooner," Hugh snarled. "You're hardly the angel you pretend to be." 

A crack of the whip sliced through the air, silencing them both. Jeff had internally braced himself, but the whip hadn't hit him at all. He counted himself lucky; it had sounded like the sort of strike that would've caused him some real pain if it had hit him. He knew he could take that sort of pain if he had to, but he didn't really like it. Still, it seemed like the scene was breaking, given what his masters were currently arguing about. Perhaps it was for the best.

"That was a long time ago, Hugh. We've both changed a lot since then," Roy said, his soft voice cutting through the silence.

"Yeah, well..." Hugh trailed off. 

Jeff listened, hearing Hugh's footsteps shuffling across the concrete, presumably away from Roy. Jeff felt like he wasn't really there. In some sense, it was true. He was only paid attention, particularly like this, at his masters' discretion; he was to keep silent if he wasn't directly asked a question or otherwise told to speak. That hadn't been too much of a problem, since Jeff had always been a man of few words. Their argument seemed more serious than he was used to, and it brought him back out of subspace, even though he hadn't been that deep to begin with. If things were going to get heated, he might just have to speak, and break his orders, just once, just to keep the peace. 

"I'm still here, y'know, sirs. Can you sort out your personal issues another time, like when I'm not strapped blindfolded and naked to a whipping bench right beside you?" Jeff said, breaking his silence, and their rules, in case they were about to get into an argument. 

Jeff felt their gaze fall upon him, even though he couldn't see them. A hand fell on his right thigh, clasping it firmly. Another hand moved back to his neck. There was a swift, sharp blow to his arse, this time given by hand, rather than whip.

"Oi, no speaking out of turn," Hugh chided, though both his blow and his tone of voice lacked the authority and force that usually signalled an official reprimand. 

"Yeah, sorry about that. Why don't we call it a day, and talk about this properly, hey?" Roy said.

"If you wouldn't mind, sir, that'd be nice. I know we're still figuring this out, but I'd rather we talked about it together, rather than have me lie here and listen to you argue about how to handle me. It's not really that much fun, sir," Jeff said, making sure to keep his voice as subservient as possible, to avoid breaking any more rules. He might be out of subspace, but that didn't mean he could be less than appropriately deferential towards his two masters. After all, he still bore their collar around his neck, and it would only be unlocked and removed when they were done, and about to head back upstairs.

"Well, go on, Hugh, get him out of there. I'll go make some tea," Roy said.

Jeff heard a grumble of a reply from Hugh as he began unfastening the restraints. Jeff didn't move until Hugh was done. Hugh helped him sit up and removed the blindfold. Jeff blinked a few times, getting used to seeing again. Hugh stood close to him, wearing an angry expression on his face, his dark, intense eyes demanding his attention. They were about the same height, but at that moment, Hugh made Jeff feel like he was towering over him. Jeff wondered what else he was upset about.

"You love him more than me, don't you? You think he's the boss, and I'm just his bitch, isn't that right?" Hugh whispered to him, clearly hoping Roy wouldn't overhear them.

Jeff wasn't expecting that, and it took him a moment to respond. "Er, no, I really don't think that, I-"

"Don't bullshit me, Jeff. I'm playing second fiddle to him. I always knew this would happen if he ever came back. I'm not needed anymore, not now that he's back," Hugh spat.

Jeff did his best to calm him down. "It's not like that, it really isn't. If I didn't want you here, you wouldn't be here. I love you, and I need you to balance him out. Roy's just... I could drown in him. I need you to keep things grounded. I need you as much as I need him." 

Hugh paced, almost went to reply again, but decided against it, and kept pacing, scowling at the wall. His dark hair, falling just past his shoulders, moved with his steps, veiling his face. Jeff watched him, and his mind couldn't help thinking how fit Hugh looked, particularly dressed in nothing but boots, leather trousers and a chest harness. Hugh was certainly the fittest of them all, though Jeff wasn't surprised, given how much he loved showing off. His body was athletic and well-toned, and Jeff noticed him clenching his fists as he went, making his knuckles turn white. 

Jeff waited until he felt Hugh had walked off enough anger that he could approach him without risking getting his head bitten off. He could see Hugh's shoulders slump, and he took a deep breath, pausing at the edge of the dungeon. Jeff went over to him and reached for his hand, just to see if his affection would be accepted. Hugh didn't pull away, though he did resist a moment as Jeff brought him into a hug, but his anger didn't last. Jeff offered a kiss, slow and apologetic, and he felt the tension dissipate. 

"Look, I love you both, I really do, but don't bring me into your territorial disputes, alright? I just want to be submissive, since it does me head so much good. I'll happily bow to both of you. I don't really care how you sort out your bloody hierarchy."

Hugh looked annoyed, but he could tell his heart wasn't really in it. "Sorry, I just - I'm still getting used to him actually being here, y'know? It was different when he was just a ghost."

"Yeah, I know. We're all getting used to that. It's alright to find it weird. He finds it just as weird being back, y'know," Jeff said.

"I bet he does. Man, imagine losing eleven years of your life, and everyone just expects you to just get on with it like nothing happened. I shouldn't be so hard on him. I’m sure it's just as hard for him. It's not like we can really relate, y'know?" Hugh said.

"Yeah, I know. I don't mind listening if he wants to talk, but I'm never sure if that's enough. I didn't know you ever bowed to him, though. I didn't know you'd ever been friends back then. Did you know him well, then?" Jeff said.

Hugh sighed and leant against him. "Nah, not really. I knew him about as well as circumstances allowed. What'd you expect? It was a bondage club in London in the early 70s. No one used their real names. Like, no one. And we all wore masks. I didn't even know it was him until he slipped one night, and I figured it out. I was no one back then; I was a daft seventeen year old who didn't know any better. It didn't matter who I was, but I knew him. I knew who he was. We had some weird conversations once he got back, I can tell you that."

"I'm sure you did, even if you didn't tell me about it," Jeff said.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't want to tell you about our relationship before because it was weird, and I didn't think you'd take it well. I only knew him in clubs for a couple of years and then he disappeared, and I never saw him again until a few months ago. I wouldn't have said we ever had anything like what you had. I’m not sure I'd even say we'd been friends back then. We just fucked around. He Dommed me, and it was great fun, and that was it. It was never anything more than that."

"I wish you'd told me, though. Your relationship with him still seemed to mean a lot to you. You seemed quite angry at how he treated you," Jeff said.

Hugh brushed it off, and walked away from him. He distracted himself by packing away the restraints, setting them in one of the chests against the wall. Jeff just let him work, waiting for him to speak. Just because the scene had ended didn't mean he stopped being submissive.

Hugh gazed off into the distance as he broke the silence. "It wasn't that bad, not really. But that sort of thing still gets intense when you play with the same Dom week after week. He was my first, y'see? You bond, but it's a weird kind of bond, because I only ever knew him in there, and I doubt he ever knew anything more about me. We just existed as Dom and sub. That was it. But that bond is still powerful, and when you play with someone regularly for a couple of years, yeah, that has an effect. Things begin to matter in a way they don't when it's just another random stranger." 

"It got intense, then, did it? Yeah, that sounds like Roy," Jeff said, almost smiling at the thought.

Hugh returned to his side, and they leaned against the bench. Hugh stared at the floor, looking pensive. "Yeah, something like that. Like, he was a guy I'd shared sessions with for a couple of years. Maybe we didn't know each other the way we do now, but I knew him well enough to care. Comes with sharing that sort of intimacy for so long, y'know? I could tell when it wasn't him, and we learnt to read each other's moods and whether we should be playing or not. Normally there weren't many problems, and we dealt with them when they came up. But our last session together wasn't a good one. I think it was back in April '72? Something like that. I wasn't really in a good headspace, and he was obviously thinking about something else. Maybe it was a bad idea, but we played anyway. And we ended up going too far. I still think it was me who pushed him too far, though, made him hurt me more than he wanted to, but I never really got a chance to explain because he vanished, as I now know, and I never saw him again." 

"Did you ever miss him, then? Like, did you ever wonder where he was? You still seem to care about what happened, like, so I wondered whether you'd-" 

Hugh shook his head. "He was an anonymous Dom in a club filled with plenty of anonymous Doms. He was hardly someone I pined after once he wasn't there anymore. Don't get me wrong. I loved the time we played together, but it never went deeper than that. I always wanted to make things right between us if I ever saw him again, but I never missed him, not the way you did." He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, shifting it out of his eyes. "I didn't mean what I said back then, though, not really. Dominance is easy, but it's hard when it's him. I've been in and around the club scene for years, both as sub and Dom, and he's the most complicated Dom I've ever known. No one does it like he does, and maybe that's why it's hard to get on with him, and agree on how to make this work. It's hard if you're not on his wavelength."

Jeff knew that feeling all too well. "Yeah, that's Roy, alright. Now you know how I felt just before he left the band. I just couldn't get it to work. Egos got in the way. We weren't mature enough to apologise when we ought to have done." He didn't quite smile at the memory. "Joining The Move, man, it was my one chance to make it big, y'know? I'd get to be with Roy at last, and together, we'd make this new band, fusing classical instruments and rock music. We'd talked about it for years before it happened, and it was going to be amazing. I had a plan, I knew where I was going and what I wanted to do. Bev and Roy, they'd already had their fame, it wasn't as big a deal to them, but I was the new lad, and maybe I ruffled a few feathers. I dunno. Roy's..." 

Jeff gestured vaguely, unable to find the words he wanted, and let silence settle between them. Hugh glanced at Roy across the room, and knew what he meant. Somehow, it still rang true, even after all those years apart.

Jeff still found it very strange to see Roy again. He'd returned looking barely a day older than when he'd disappeared, as if time had never passed at all, though his eyes and his weary smile suggested otherwise. They should've been the same age; instead, when Roy's birthday came round last month, and he should have been thirty six, no one, not even Roy, was sure what to celebrate, or how old he ought to be. Even Hugh managed to look older than Roy, and he was six years younger than him. 

Standing with his back to them across the room, his bare heels peeking out of the back of his dark trousers, Jeff felt it was an image he'd seen of Roy a thousand times before. He knew that stance, the way his shoulders slumped, and how he was gazing off into a corner, his fingers tapping absently on the bench. But there were differences now. 

His long hair, falling halfway down his back, was now a blaze of coloured streaks in a multitude of hues that never seemed to fade or grow out. His beard was in a permanent state of colourful disarray; it seemed to grow back overnight if he dared to trim it, and the patterns of colour never changed. From where he was standing, Jeff could just see Roy's left forearm, along with the black serpentine tattoo that now snaked its way down his arm; it, too, looked brand new, though Roy claimed it had been given to him a long time ago. Jeff was sure he'd seen it move one night, catching sight of the strange mark out of the corner of his eye in the shadows of his bedroom. 

There were other marks on him, too, that Jeff had come to know, though Roy wouldn't say how he had got them, either; there was a purple flower Jeff didn't recognise on his right forearm, and a silvery feather over his heart, as well as a small jagged scar on the back of his neck that Roy claimed was a lightning bolt. Jeff had discovered he could make Roy shiver if he licked the scar, barely, with the tip of his tongue. 

In some ways, Jeff didn't think he'd known him well enough before to compare him now. He'd certainly never been that intimate with him back then; maybe he'd had those marks all along, and never revealed them for a reason. But that explanation always felt hollow; those marks, and his colourful hair, weren't normal, and that, more than anything, suggested something strange had indeed happened to him, even if it sounded beyond reality itself. They were all still getting used to that.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, yeah? I'll try not to let him get to me. I really should be better at this by now," Hugh said.

"Dunno how you expect me to be any better at this, y'know. I'm learning from you, after all. You'd better not get it wrong, hey?" Jeff said, a hint of a smile crossing his lips.

Hugh just shook his head and went to retrieve Jeff's clothes. "Here, you'd better get dressed. You don't need any aftercare, do you? I don't think we whipped you enough for that, did we?" 

Jeff stood, and thought about it. He shifted, deliberately aggravating the figments of pain still present in his body to see how bad they were, and checked where his mind was. "Nah, I'll be right. We didn't really go long enough for me to feel like I've been dragged awake before I wanted to be. Thanks fer asking, though."

"I always ask. It's important. I don't want you being fucked over because of what we do together. You're not used to it the way we are. You get dressed, yeah? I'll be over with Roy. Join us when you're ready," Hugh said.

"Yes, sir, I won't be long," Jeff said, hearing the dominance in his voice with his last command. 

Jeff watched him leave. He could see the rest of the rooms in the basement from where he stood. It had taken nearly two years, and a not insignificant amount of money, for Hugh and Jeff to get it set up this way, but it was worth it. They had divided the basement into four sections to utilise the limited space as best they could. Everything was designed to be kept down here, so it could be locked away and contained. The four sections opened out onto what would have been a corridor if the rooms were all properly enclosed. Only the change of flooring signalled the shift now.

The corner closest to the stairs had a small kitchenette and lounge, where they usually retreated to after a session to debrief over a cup of tea. It was the most normal looking part of the basement, with nothing at all to suggest anything unusual happened there. They had chosen an ordinary plain lino for the floor, with only a small green rug under the coffee table. The kitchen was a pale cream, the only colour they could all agree on. There were frilly lace curtains over the window above the sink to obscure the view from the back yard, just in case someone decided to look behind the hedge growing in front of it. 

The dividing wall between the kitchenette and the next room was low, and the room next to it was only obscured by long, opaque curtains that could be drawn around the entire section, concealing it from view. Inside was a raised wooden platform that had been turned into a large sleeping area, covered with mattresses, cushions, and blankets, and it was both used as a bed, and as a place for more gentle intimacy. What set it apart from a normal sleeping area was the rings in the ceiling, and on the walls, where Jeff had spent many hours chained up as his masters tormented him into a very happy blissful sleep. As he gazed around the basement, Jeff could just see the side of a set of chrome handcuffs catch the light, hiding under a pillow, which had been used the night before. 

Jeff stood in the adjacent section, on the other side of the platform, where the dungeon was. It wasn't much of a dungeon, given the space, but it did have dark walls and ceiling, and a black tiled floor, chests and cabinets with their toys, and rings on the walls and ceiling. The whipping bench was the largest piece of furniture in the area. It wasn't a proper whipping bench, per se, but an ordinary bench used for that purpose so that they weren't bringing large pieces of kinky sex furniture into the house, just so Holly didn't see them and wonder what they were for. 

The dungeon also had a black opaque curtain that could be pulled across the open section from where it met with the sleeping platform's curtains to the high dividing wall on the other side where the last section began. It wasn't used very much, but it did plunge the space into almost near darkness. This made the space useful for some of the things they did in there. It also made the space useful as a punishment room, because it was the only area where he could be completely restrained and isolated from his masters in a place that was cold, dark, and uncomfortable. Jeff would be chained to the bench and left in the dark for a period of time, ordered to reflect on what he'd done wrong. It wasn't usually more than fifteen minutes, but those fifteen minutes could feel like an hour if Roy and Hugh decided to torment him by having sex as loudly as they could on the bed next door. He had been whipped for succumbing to his arousal as a final punishment. 

The last section next to the dungeon, and opposite the kitchenette and lounge, was a wet room. There was a toilet, basin, and shower, but there was also a sink for washing their toys in after a session, as well as rings on the walls and ceilings. Jeff was sometimes led in here to wash before a session, and it was designed so he could be restrained and washed easily without anyone doing their back in. It was also good for washing off anything they didn't want to bring into the house, and because it was next to the utility room, they could wash anything that might have got dirty without having to take it into the house. The utility room was outside the basement opposite the stairs, so that it could still be used for mundane purposes, keeping it separate from what lay beyond the locked door to the basement.

The walls and ceiling were all soundproofed, and the door to this part of the basement had two locks on it to keep Holly out of it; they told her it was their private workshop, with dangerous tools in there that she shouldn't be touching in case she got hurt. It was a good enough lie to keep her away, and the door was always locked, and all the curtains drawn, even when they were in there, in case she got curious and wanted to know what was in there. They still picked their time wisely, though; just because she was pretty good at staying away didn't mean they could spend all their time down there. It was a place to escape to, so the time they spent there became more meaningful. 

Jeff looked over to the lounge. Roy was standing by the window, watching the kettle boil, his back turned to them. Hugh had joined him, having taken a moment to switch the harness for a singlet top, and Jeff watched him kick his boots off and slouch down into a chair, wisely keeping his distance. Jeff turned to his clothes, and began dressing. 

It occurred to him that he had made some sort of progress, though, if he could stand there naked in front of them, and not feel any shame for it. He had sometimes been able to fake his confidence in his body, but when he was alone, it wasn't what he wanted to see. He was tall and slender, but everything looked too long, like he'd been stretched as a child. His body had always betrayed his desperate attempts to appear straight, and there was a time when he just didn't want to look at his body because he'd be reminded of all the times he had snuck out to meet men on the sly, back when his marriage had begun falling apart. It had left him with a lot of shame, but it wasn't so painful to think about now. Certainly Hugh and Roy seemed to like him, and didn't find him repulsive. They might not be very far down this new path, but at least Jeff could stand there naked, and not hate himself so much for what he was, and what he'd done. 

He went over to Roy once he'd dressed. Roy still had his back to them, and Jeff gently slipped his arms around his slender frame, a gesture of apology as much as an offer of intimacy. He felt Roy resist him for a moment as he brought him close, but it didn't last; Roy soon relaxed against him, letting his head lean against his shoulder. Jeff braved a soft kiss to his head, attempting to soothe his hurt soul. 

"I don't regret a moment of this, y'know. I hope you know that," Jeff said.

"I know." Roy sighed. "Sorry. I didn't think this would be so hard."

"'S'alright, we're all still figuring out how to make this work. I don't blame you for this," Jeff said.

"No, I should be better about this. I'm your Dom. I ought to be able to manage this," Roy said.

"You're not my only Dom, though. You don't need to do this on your own. If the three of us can't sit down and figure out how to make this work, then why are we bothering?" Jeff said. "After all, I could go to clubs, then, to get my fix, and forget about this. But I don't, because it's you I want. Not some anonymous Doms in a club I don't care about."

Roy brushed him off, and poured the tea as a distraction. Jeff backed off and sat down with Hugh, waiting patiently for Roy to join them. There were a few small slices of cake waiting for them on the coffee table, and Roy brought them hot sweet tea. Sugar was always a good way to ground after a session, even one aborted halfway through. Gentle silence settled as they ate, softly broken by the sounds of plates and mugs being placed on the coffee table.

Jeff spoke first, once he felt it was time to address what had happened. He wasn't usually brave enough to mediate in conflicts, particularly ones involving Roy, but he really did care about this weird threesome very much, and he wanted it to work. 

"At the risk of speaking out of turn, sirs, we really need to talk about this, and where it's going. I know it's been hard to fit it in around everything else in our lives, but this is important to me, and I hope it's just as important to you. I know I'm only new to this, but submission helps me deal with all that stress up there, and I need it. But if we can't figure out how to make this work, then perhaps it's time to stop before things get even more complicated than they already are," Jeff said.

Hugh turned to him. "Well, what do you want out of this, then? What's so important to you that you need this in your life? I know we've mostly been playing around so far, just to get you used to what we all like and dislike, but if you want something more focussed, now's the time to speak up. We can't Dom you properly if we don't know what you want to get out of it, and maybe having a goal to focus on would help me and Roy figure out what to do with you and what training you need." 

"Ay, yeah, he's right. It's not like we play together all the time, but if we want this to be cohesive, it would be better if we were at least working towards the same goal. I think we'd fight less if we both knew where we were going with this. Like, we can keep on playing just for the sake of it, and while that's fun, I feel we all want something deeper than that, right? Something more than just the sort of play we can get at a club?" Roy said.

"I don't think that's a want, necessarily, more - we're bonded deeper than we could have imagined, for reasons we don't understand, and maybe this is a way we can explore and express that? But I don't know, really. That's how I see it, but I don't know if that means anything to you," Jeff said, trying not to sound too despondent as his shoulders slumped. He wanted to commit to this threesome as much as he wanted to give up because it was all too hard, and he was torn by indecision and inexperience.

"It means plenty. There was some seriously weird shit that happened back then that's brought us all together now. You don't know how strange it was being in this house, and being able to talk to Holly, but no one else could see me. And because Holly's involved, it's really too hard to just break it all up and go. I doubt I could leave. I think I'd just end up back here again. I'm drawn to you now in ways I just can't escape," Roy said.

"But that doesn't mean we need to do this, does it? I mean, it's nice, and we're enjoying it, right? But it's not something we need to do if it's not going to work, is it?" Jeff said.

Roy considered his words. "No, you're better with it than without. It stays."

"Yes, sir," Jeff said, bowing his head a moment as he accepted his master's judgement.

"Well, we'd better make this work, then, or we're all fucked," Hugh said.

"So, what do we do, then? I still don't really feel like I understand it well enough to know what we ought to do," Jeff said.

"Well, you do like being ordered around, don't you? And you like the whipping? Was there anything else you like?" Roy said.

Jeff swallowed, and thought a moment, going back over all the different things they'd tried so far. "Restraints. Being held down. Keeping me still. That sort of thing. And-"

Jeff paused. Hugh urged him to speak. "Go on, you're safe to talk about it. It's not like you'll be telling the whole world."

Jeff glanced at him, and hesitated. "Well, the blindfold - you said we might try full body wrapping one day?" 

Hugh didn't look as surprised as Jeff had expected. "I almost wish I'd never mentioned that to you now. You're really keen to try that, aren't you? I still don't think you're ready for that, though. You need basic discipline first. We need to get you used to being in restraints, and training your body not to fight it. Believe me, full body wrapping is not the same as a blindfold, and you're a fool to think they're in any way equivalent."

"He's right, you're not ready for that yet, but if that's something you want to try, then we can plan out how we can work towards that, if that's what you want. Condition you, train you, and get you ready for what that's really like. It's not something I've done a lot of, and the last time I was involved in a scene that included it was a long time ago. But if it's something you want, maybe we can work towards that. How long do you think he'd need, Hugh, before he was ready?" Roy said.

Hugh shrugged. "Dunno, depends on how well he adjusts. I've seen a sub pick it up in eight weeks, and another take 18 months before they were ready. For Jeff in particular? The way he's going, I'd say he could master the basics in three months, and he might be up to starting to work on wrapping in another seven, but it really depends on him doing the work. It's a mental thing as much as a physical thing, too. Subspace is really important. You gotta be ready in your mind to submit to that and not fight it, because trust me, if you go in and you're not mentally ready, you'll fight it, and you could hurt yourself, or even asphyxiate. He could master all the skills in six months, but if his mind's not ready, I'm not doing it. I won't do it until he's ready. It's dangerous, and incredibly intense, and it'll change you. Are you really sure that's what you want, Jeff?"

Jeff almost thought it was, but while he'd known it was dangerous, and Hugh had talked him through those dangers before, they suddenly felt all too real. And yet, the urge to back down and play it safe wasn't there. He still couldn't get that idea out of his head. He just had to try it, even if it was just once, just to see how it would feel. 

"It's what I want, yeah. I want to try it. Even if it's not my thing, I still want to know one way or another, yeah? That's not bad, is it?" Jeff said.

"You would have the complicated kinks, wouldn't you? But if you're sure, we can work towards that. I'll need to get some new gear, though. I haven't needed it for years. I hope you know what you're getting yourself in for," Hugh said.

"I think I'll defer to you on this one, Hugh. You seem to know more about it than I do. How bout I work on his basic discipline then? So you can have some time to work out how to condition him for wrapping?" Roy said.

Hugh considered it a moment. "Sounds good to me. You're better at the discipline thing anyway. You're much more of a stickler for rules. It'll serve him better than if I taught him that."

"That was always your problem, Hugh. You never liked being given any rules," Roy chided gently. 

Hugh acknowledged the truth in his words, as well as the friendly tone. "Yeah, well, I did my best, even if you were never the Dom for me. But that was years ago, like you said. I don't regret it, though, any of it. They were the best two years I ever had. Any sub's lucky to have you for a Dom, that's for sure. I'm not sure I ever told you that, though."

"Well, I disappeared, didn't I? I'm glad you don't hate me because of it, though. I did always wonder if I'd driven you away for good, because we argued so much," Roy said.

Hugh brushed him off. "We just cared about it too much. We wanted to get it right. Maybe we had to argue about it until we settled on the best way forward, but maybe that was just how we worked together, yeah?" 

"Maybe. Is that club still open? I almost miss it now," Roy said.

"Nah, it closed a few years ago. Got shut down. Someone decided to run an illegal brothel out the back, and had the misfortune to get caught. I believe they're all in gaol now, but don't quote me on that. Everyone fled once the news broke. I haven't heard from anyone from that scene since it shut," Hugh said.

"Pity. I did like that club. You ever taken Jeff to a club? There are still some good ones around, if you know where to look," Roy asked.

"I've made offers, but he's too scared to go, the poor mite. He doesn't know what he's missing," Hugh said.

"Oi. Not all of us have been - alright with this sort of thing, yeah? I spent years denying I was gay before Hugh came along, let alone knew I was submissive. I wish I'd been able to accept it easier than I did, like you both have, y'know?" Jeff sighed. "You know how we were brought up, Roy. You know the attitudes I still got in me 'ead. You try coming to terms with being gay when that's all you can think of."

"Not all of us cared about that as much as you did, though it took a lot of strength to just ignore it and get on with it. I mean, I grew my hair, and I pranced about in frocks and make-up on stage. Of course they were going to call me gay and throw things at me. You never saw me bothered by it, did you?" Roy said.

"I just thought you didn't care about criticism. I didn't think it was a gay thing. How was I meant to know it was a gay thing anyway?" Jeff said.

"You weren't. That was the point. Do you really think I was going to come out back then? That would've been suicide. I'm not that daft," Roy said.

"That's why the club was so good. They enforced anonymity, so no one could get found out. It was the safest place to be if you were gay and kinky and didn't want anyone to know," Hugh said. "I really wish you'd been there back then, Jeff. I think you'd have really loved it. There were so many great people, and it was always fun there. Good teachers, too, and I needed them. They taught me not to be afraid of who I was, and never be ashamed of it. Y'know, all those older guys who'd been there before me and come out alive. Maybe you'd be more courageous now, and keeping it secret wouldn't have caused you so much pain over the years, if you'd been there, rather than hid it all away for so long."

Jeff shrugged, and Hugh thought he looked a little forlorn. "Maybe. But maybe Roy going missing would've wrecked it anyway. Maybe I'm just not like you. Maybe I don't have that," he gestured vaguely, searching for the word, "that resilience you have? How you don't care? I've always cared, and I just don't know how to stop caring. And I've got Holly now, and that doesn't help, because what if she's bullied for it? What if she gets hurt because of me and what I am? You don't have kids, neither of you. You don't know what it's like to have her in your arms, and know you're the only one responsible for bringing her up and keeping her safe. I was married, I have a kid now. It changes you."

Roy offered an unsympathetic look. "When you've been missing for a decade, shut away in some daft world fighting dragons, then we'll compare our fates. Until then, it's no contest."

Jeff scowled, annoyed by the truth of his words, but before he could reply, Hugh stepped in, drawing a line under that particular conversation. 

"Alright, that's enough, hey? This isn't helping. I think we all need some space to think about all this before we decide how to move forward, if that's what we want to do. There's a lot going on for all of us, and maybe we need time to really work through that before we commit to something deeper and more permanent," Hugh said.

Jeff didn't argue further. Roy scowled and turned his back on them, walking across the room. Jeff almost went after him, but Hugh held him back. Roy made a point of slipping off the mail shirt and threw it aside. He pulled on a t-shirt, grabbed his coat, and disappeared up the stairs, heading back into the house. The door closed behind him, and the room suddenly felt oppressive.

Jeff moved to leave, but Hugh pushed him back down onto the sofa, and pinned him down with a kiss. Jeff became all too aware that Hugh was asserting his dominance, and after a moment of resistance, Jeff surrendered. 

"We need to talk," Hugh said.

"Yes, sir, of course, sir," Jeff replied. Hugh's hands pressed his shoulders down hard, and they were beginning to hurt. 

"Now, I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you, but you really need to show him you care. You've spent the last decade pining for him, and now that he's here, and willing to be with you, you argue and snipe, and I'm tired of it. I know you love him in your heart. I can see it in your eyes. So what's the problem?" Hugh said.

"I-I don't know, sir," Jeff said, unable to be more honest than that. 

"No, don't you shirk on me. You know. This is becoming a serious problem, and if you're not careful, you'll wake up one morning and he just won't be there anymore. And I'll be the one who'll have to nurse you through another broken heart, and I really don't want to do that if I don't have to. Tell me what's going on. Lying will absolutely ruin this tentative relationship we have. I know, because I've been there myself. I know what it can do. So don't you dare try to pretend you don't know, because I don't believe you," Hugh said.

"I, well, sir, I just - it's hard to - I don't really know the words? It's just tight, and raw, and I'm scared, and I just don't know how to handle this. I don't - I feel like I'm getting to know Roy all over again, because he's really not the same man he used to be. I didn't even know he was kinky, let alone gay, but he's dominant and I really love it. He's back, and I love it, but I don't know. Sometimes, I feel like it's all too much too soon," Jeff said after a moment's thought.

Hugh searched his eyes, looking for any sign of insincerity. After a moment, he sat up, loosening his grip on him. "Do we need to slow down, then? Have we all rushed into this too quickly? I thought you were dealing alright, but maybe we have gone too fast, and it's overwhelming you."

Jeff half-shrugged against the sofa. "Maybe. I just - I spent so long without Roy, and now he's back, and he's changed. I grieved for him. I let him go. D'you know how hard it is just to accept that he's not going away again? That he's really here with me, that he's here to stay? I'm still getting used to that, especially when I'm learning about this other side of him I never knew he had. My heart's a mess, and I don't know how to fix it."

Hugh sat back, giving him space to sit up. Jeff shifted, and sat up, and they gazed at each other across the sofa. Hugh offered a cigarette, and Jeff accepted it, feeling like he needed it. Silence settled around them for a while as smoke drifted off around them.

"I always knew he'd complicate things if he ever came back. I'd always made space for him in our relationship, because you did, and Holly did, too. Roy was just part of the bargain. Maybe I'm also getting used to him being here too, and what that's really like, instead of just going off memories and idealised fantasies. It's not like I ever knew him in any context outside that club. He never talked about anything outside that club. I, we never talked about our personal lives, or what we did to earn a living. I knew him as a Dom long before I ever knew him as a musician. Maybe that changes the way I work with him. I don't know," Hugh said.

"Do you love him, then? Like, is he ever going to mean that much to you, the way I do? Or will be always be my partner, someone you work with, but that's it?" Jeff asked.

Hugh thought a moment. "I really can't say. I just don't know. I care about him a lot, and I like him. We get on well enough, in spite of the arguments. Could something deeper develop? Maybe, if he lets it. But I wouldn't feel offended if he wasn't interested, either. You guys are so close it's really hard to feel like I could ever be equally as important to either of you. For now, I'll enjoy it while I can, and see what happens."

Jeff reached for his hand. "Do you really think I love him more than I love you?" 

Hugh shrugged, but didn't pull away. "It's not that. You just have those shared experiences of that weird magical world that I don't have. I'll never understand that, and maybe it means I never quite become as close to you both as you are with each other because of it. I don't really know. I guess it depends on whether you let those shared experiences define our relationship or not."

"What'd you mean? We don't really talk about it, not really, not very often," Jeff said. "It's too weird, and I think sometimes Roy just likes having someone who kind of knows what he's talking about when he goes over what happened to him. It's a shared point of reference, if you like. I don't have half the experiences in that place that he has."

"But you still have a few, which is my point. He'd never talk to me about those things, because I wasn't there. He doesn't want me telling him he's gone daft; he wants you to tell him it was real, because that's what he needs right now. Maybe none of this will matter in a few years when he feels like he has a life again, but maybe not. It's hard to know if we'll even be together in a few years," Hugh said.

"Hmm, I guess," Jeff conceded. "So why do you stay, then? Like, if you feel like that, why are you still here?"

Hugh offered a coy smile. "C'mon, Jeff, I'm way past leaving now. This is the only thing keeping you sane, and I'd rather not leave you cope on your own again because you can't come down here for a whipping every now and then. Besides, I do love you, even if you are sometimes a pain in the arse." 

Jeff managed to smile back. "Well, I. I guess that's something, ay? I guess I just - you sometimes seem like you don't-"

Hugh interrupted him with a kiss, and manoeuvred Jeff around with his body until he was pinned down again. Hugh gripped his shoulders, and Jeff surrendered, feeling the weight of Hugh pressing down on him, pressing him down against the sofa. He couldn't move, and it delighted him. 

"Just because we didn't get to finish before doesn't mean I'm done with you yet. Is this enough, or do you want to be properly restrained?" Hugh murmured in his ear.

Jeff inhaled. "Oh, sir, I - it's hard to say. Whatever you think is necessary, sir."

Hugh kissed him again, and sat up, dragging Jeff up by his shirt front. "You haven't been in chains all week. It's time I stopped you moving again so your bloody head can shut up, just for a while. C'mon, boy."

"Yes, sir, that would be great, sir."

They got up off the sofa awkwardly, Hugh still leading him, and they went over to the corner bed. Hugh drew the curtains around the bed to hide it from view once they were inside. Jeff liked how dark it made it feel, even though there was still soft light from some lamps on the walls that made interesting shadows dance about the space.

"Strip while I go get the chains. I want to make sure you're properly secured this time," Hugh said.

"Yes, sir, at once," Jeff said with a bow of his head. 

He watched Hugh duck out through the curtains. He could feel his body already anticipating the chains. He loved the feel of chains against his skin. He stripped as he'd been told to do, leaving his clothes folded up at the side. He spent a moment tidying up the area, straightening pillows, and gathering that stray set of cuffs he'd seen in there earlier. They were set back in the small chest that sat against one of the dividing walls, finally put away at last. 

The area now physically tidy, he paid attention to the attachment rings, making sure they were secure and clean, and that the quick-release mechanisms were functioning properly. They were usually fine, and well-maintained, but it was always wise to check. They might save his life one day. Once he was done, he knelt in the centre, waiting for Hugh to return.

Jeff couldn't help smiling as he saw Roy returning with Hugh, and their collection of chains and locks. They had changed again; Roy wore his mail shirt, while Hugh had changed back into his chest harness. It had the appropriate effect of signalling their dominance to Jeff as he bowed to them both. He prostrated himself as he'd been taught, offering his wrists to them. He felt a hand rest on his head.

"Sorry for running off like that. You didn't deserve that," Roy said softly.

"That's alright, sir," Jeff replied.

"No, it's not alright. I shouldn't have sniped at you like that. It's not your fault. I'm the one having to readjust to this world all over again. You're the only help I have. It's probably just as weird to you as it is to me. I mean, I could be lying for all you know, spinning you some daft story to hide what I was really doing, and playing on your emotions and grief to get you to believe me. I don't blame you for getting angry. So yeah, Jeff, I'm sorry, alright?" Roy said.

"Yes, sir, apology accepted, sir," Jeff replied. 

Roy grasped his head and pulled it up by the hair so Jeff was looking at him as much as he could from his position. "No, say it like you mean it, not like it's just what you're expected to say."

"Er, it's alright, sir. We're alright, yeah? I shouldn't have got mad, either. Maybe we should talk about it later, yeah?" Jeff said, doing his best to sound genuine.

Roy regarded him a moment. "Yeah, we will. Good lad."

Jeff risked a smile. "Thank you, sir."

Roy let him go, and Jeff resumed his prostrate position as he heard Hugh fishing out the chains they were going to use. He let his breathing slow, and his heart rate settle. He listened to his masters checking the chains and locks to ensure they were still safe to use. Hugh counted out the keys to each of the locks, checked they still worked, and discarded a couple that had lost their keys. The soft glistle of chain links filled the air, mixing with the sound of the chainmail that shifted with Roy's movements, and Jeff had to concentrate hard to keep himself from getting too excited, particularly when one piece of chain was laid down over his back. The metal was icy cold, but didn't stay that way for long, taking on his body warmth. Jeff felt it must have been one of their larger, heavier, thicker pieces of chain, given its weight, and how it felt like it was holding him down. 

The chain didn't stay. His masters lifted him and began inspecting his body, testing his joints and muscles for soreness or injury. It was clinical more than erotic, but it still felt good to have them paying attention to him that way. Hugh would gently swat his cock if it got too hard, which kept his arousal in check. There was no point in getting too excited too quickly.

Once they were satisfied he was alright, and would be able to take the chains, they set him into position. There were several different ways he could be chained, based on the rings they'd secured on the walls, the ceiling, and on a few places on the mattress, and this time, he was positioned in the corner, his limbs spread wide, as he was chained into position. They were careful with the chain, making them tight enough to keep him secured, but with enough slack that he wasn't going to do himself an injury if he moved unexpectedly. Jeff had done this enough times to know he shouldn't move, even if he could, because he'd twisted a knee last time, and hadn't been able to walk properly for over a week. A blindfold was added last, and it was the cue to settle into subspace, allowing the chains to take over.

"Breathe slowly. Settle yourself down. Stay as still as you can," Hugh murmured in his ear, giving him instructions.

It took a moment for Jeff to steady his breathing. Being still helped, and the chains stopping him from moving. Being still and breathing slowly had become the way they always started these sessions now, as it helped Jeff relax into it better. Subspace was easier to reach. He could feel Hugh and Roy settle either side of him, their hands stroking his body gently. 

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, and focussed. In his mind, he counted to five with each inhalation, and then exhaled for a count of five, with a pause of five between each to make him slow down and wait. It was always hard at first, and took a few minutes for it to feel natural and unforced. 

"We'll be doing a lot more of this now, if you really want to try wrapping. You'll probably find it incredibly dull to be kept in chains doing nothing for what feels like hours on end, but it's a really important skill to master if you want to do this without hurting yourself. I need you to trust me, Jeff. Can you do that?" Hugh said.

Jeff took his time answering, taking in all he was saying. "Yeah, I trust you, sir."

Hugh stroked his hair and kissed his cheek. "Good lad. Just concentrate on being still, yeah? I don't mind if your thoughts wander for now, because that's a skill for later, but right now, just get used to being still and letting the chains do the work for you."

Jeff nodded, knowing it would be hard work. He was used to being in chains, but keeping still and letting his body relax always took a lot of effort. His body always took a while to relax against the chains, and stop fighting them. He could feel his muscles twitching against the chains, fighting off the instinct to support his weight and hold the position himself, rather than let the chains do the work for him. 

"Just start with an arm, if it's too hard to do it all at once. Just let the muscles in your left arm relax. Just let it hang there on its own. Don't worry about it hurting; you checked all the quick releases before we started, and you know they're working properly. I can get you out in seconds if necessary," Hugh said.

"Yes, sir, I'll try," Jeff replied.

It was harder than he expected. The chains weren't so tight he couldn't move at all, and he felt that the slack was what he was afraid of. That if he put his weight on them, the quick releases would trigger, and the whole rig would fail. The rational part of his mind knew that was unlikely, but it still bothered him. 

Jeff felt Hugh gently stroking his arm, trying to goad him into relaxing. Roy wasn't particularly joining in, allowing Hugh to run the scene, 4but his presence beside him was reassuring. A hand on his thigh reminded him he wasn't alone and abandoned. 

"Let go, Jeff. That's an order. Remember when we first tried restraints? Remember how good it felt? Find those memories again, and chase that. Relax into the chains like you did then. Let them be an extension of our arms. Roy and I are holding you now. We've got you. You won't fall. Breathe out and let go," Hugh said, his voice noticeably softer, though still carrying his dominance.

Jeff tried to remember. A lot of what he remembered about that particular afternoon was filled with grief and tears. It was hard to get past that to what had come before, when he'd confessed to Hugh that he wanted to be held down. Hugh had brought out some restraints, and he'd been stripped and bound for the very first time. Hugh's dominance had come out that day, and taken control. Permission was what he needed then, to let it all go and just cry for everything that had been taken from him. 

He had permission now, too. And things were very different from how they'd been back then. He was braver, and he was far more experienced. They'd played with chains plenty of times before, and Jeff knew them better than he thought he would. He had tested the chains and restraints himself, like he'd been taught to do before every session, so he would know his own restraints as well as he knew himself. He knew these chains, and the weight they carried. 

When they'd first started playing with chains, Hugh had spent one afternoon demonstrating to him just how much weight each chain could hold without breaking, just to prove they were strong and safe. They were the same chains that held him now. He knew they could take his weight. But there was still that block in his head that was stopping him, and he couldn't figure out what it was. 

"Sir? I can't, I-"

"Still got a block to deal with, hey? Maybe we'll change the position. You might find it easier lying flat on your back," Hugh said.

"Yes, sir, that might work," Jeff replied.

"Alright, we're going to release the chains now, and move you. The blindfold stays to keep you in that space, but bear with us as we shift you," Hugh said. "Come on, Roy. Let's make him more comfortable."

Jeff breathed, and felt a little apprehension as the chains were released. Once he was free of them, he was laid down on his back in the middle of the mattresses, and the chains replaced. His arms were now chained down by his side, and his legs were close together, though chained with a little distance between them so his masters could access his cock if they wanted to do so. Chains across the rest of his body kept him still. 

Jeff had to steady his breathing again. He could feel Hugh and Roy lying either side of him, gently stroking his body to calm him down. It was a bit easier to relax, though, lying on his back. He wasn't in a position that was stressing his body, and lying flat helped him feel supported. Slowly, with the help of his masters, he let his muscles relax. Keeping still, and relaxed, wasn't easy; he found he wanted to do one, or the other, but not both. 

"Just focus on your breathing. Keep count, and really focus on how it feels to breathe. Feel the air coming in and out of your lungs. Feel it as a conscious sensation, rather than as something that happens without you thinking about it. Ignore everything else," Hugh murmured in his ear as he stroked a hand down his arm. 

"Imagine you're in the studio, with a fresh reel of tape. Focus on the potential, focus on the happiness and safety of that place. It's where you used to love being, a long time ago. Maybe you don't remember that, but I do. Even though we used to fight a lot, you were always happiest there. You were alive there in a way you weren't outside of it. Do you remember that happiness? Or is it buried under all that grief?" Roy said.

Jeff hadn't thought about those years for a long time. It had always been associated with Roy, before he'd disappeared, and it had just hurt to think of all the arguments. It was still hard to remember the happy times. 

"I can't remember it, because all I can think of is you, and it just makes my heart break," Jeff said eventually, trying not to get upset. He didn't want to ruin his attempts at relaxation by getting overly emotional about things he really ought to have dealt with by now.

"What makes you happy, then? Like, really happy? What is it that makes you feel safe and comfortable and loved?" Hugh said.

Jeff thought about it for a long time. His instincts didn't offer anything he felt was really the right answer, and the longer he thought about it, the longer he dissected and analysed everything he was thinking about, until he had no idea whether he'd ever really been happy at all.

"I don't think I know what happiness is. My whole life feels like a constant string of disappointments," Jeff concluded.

"I've seen you happy plenty of times, particularly with Holly. You telling me they don't count?" Hugh said.

"Oi. We are not talking about her down here, not when I'm locked up in chains. It's too weird. I'm sure I told you that last time you brought her up in the middle of a scene," Jeff said, not appreciating the intrusion. 

"Oh, yeah, you did too. Sorry about that. I should've remembered that," Hugh said. "That said, my point still stands, though. You're happy when you're with her. You're a good father, Jeff. She makes you smile. Isn't that something to be proud of?"

Jeff took a breath to settle himself, considering his reply. "Maybe, but, I just don't-" He sighed. "Grief overshadows everything. I can't detach it from the happy moments. I mean, I love my little girl, and I'd never give her up for anything, but she's got her mother's eyes, and it just reminds me of her, and of you, Roy, and all the bad shit I went through trying to raise a kid on my own. Our marriage failed because I couldn't stop loving you, Roy. Can you see why I have so much trouble with happiness?"

Jeff felt a hand stroke down his arm. He could tell it was Roy's hand from the way his fingers gently curled around his bicep. 

"Then let's make new happy memories together. Forget the past, there's nothing we can do about that now. Let it all go, Jeff. Let go of all the disappointments and grief. We've got a chance to start again, and build something wonderful. This relationship, weird as it is, it can be wonderful, if you let it," Roy said.

"Roy's right. Holding onto the past will just make you miserable, and Holly will notice that. Maybe you don't realise how perceptive she is about your mood, but she knows when you're sad. What kind of father will you be if she never knows what a happy parent is like? Maybe you can't do it for yourself, but do it for her, so she doesn't end up miserable as an adult, because she doesn't know how to be happy," Hugh said.

Jeff wasn't able to hold back his tears then, thinking about his promise to his ex to give Holly a good home. Had he really failed so badly at that? He thought he'd done his best, and she seemed happy enough, but maybe Hugh was right. Maybe he was affecting her more than he realised. Something had to change, he was sure of that, and if he couldn't bring himself to be happy for his own sake, he had to do it for her, so she knew something other than the misery he'd lived with for so long.

A hand stroked his forehead. "Let the chains calm you. The arms of your masters are holding you tight. Let them hold you still. Remember how safe you feel when you're restrained with them? You know these chains. They'll never fail you. They're strong as steel, resilient, able to bear more weight than you can imagine. Let them share the burden. That's what they're there for. They take the weight, so you don't have to."

For whatever reason, Hugh's words unblocked him, and Jeff found himself able to let his body go limp, and let the chains do their work. The release of all the tension in his muscles was a strange feeling. Closing his eyes, the sensation of hands stroking his body softly made him feel like he was sinking into the mattress below. He breathed out.

His mind was in a strange place, placid and pliant. Subspace had never felt so present, inviting him into its comforting embrace. He let go, and fell, trusting that he would be caught. There were hands stroking his body, and whispered instructions to stay still and quiet, and count to a thousand. He didn't question the command, and began counting in his mind, his lips breathing the numbers.

"This is the first step. Be still, and count, and focus on nothing else. See the numbers in your mind. Count your breaths with them. All I want you to do is focus on that, and see how far you get before you break your concentration. We'll keep going until you can get all the way to a thousand without breaking focus. Then we'll move onto something else more challenging that will send you deeper than you are now," Hugh murmured into his ear. 

Jeff breathed, and listened, taking in all his words. Every word felt louder, clearer, brighter, than it had before. He could feel Roy on the other side, not speaking, but holding him, a hand resting softly on his chest. His fingers slid between the chains, caressing his skin. Hugh, on the other hand, while he was also lying beside him, he had more of a dominant position over him, his body half lying on top of him to hold him down. A hand was specifically placed over his heart. Jeff felt it was a reminder that he was in control now, and he ought to bow to his command. 

Starting from one, he began counting, doing his best to imagine the numbers in his mind, as well as keep track of his breathing. It felt like a lot to concentrate on all at once, but once he found a rhythm, it was much easier. Everything fell together, and he tapped out the numbers with his fingers like a drum beat.

The silence helped, Jeff felt. He was being touched, but there were no words, except an occasional reminder from Hugh to keep counting, soft and gentle enough not to interrupt him. There was a moment where he could've sworn he heard Hugh and Roy kissing, but he wasn't entirely sure. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen them kiss, but he couldn't work out what else the sound might be. Every sound had been amplified, and he felt his hearing had gone a bit strange. Even the sound of Roy's chainmail shirt gently brushing against the chains against his skin hurt his ears. 

He thought he might've been at about four hundred when he felt himself tugged deeper. He thought Roy was whispering something magical in his right ear; it was something soft and incomprehensible at any rate. He felt his body fall, dragged under by quicksand, and he flinched, his muscles twitching. He momentarily lost count, and it took a few seconds to remember where he'd been up to so he could keep going. He felt his lips silently mouthing the numbers as he went, trying to calm his heart again.

"Shh, don't panic. You're just going deeper than I thought you would. That's impressive for a first try. I'm really pleased with your effort, Jeff. That's very good work. I'm not going to let you stay like this for very long, though, because you've never been this deep before, and I'll need a significantly longer time to bring you back than I'd planned on. This is still good progress though. Let me know when you get to six hundred, and I'll begin to bring you back. For now, enjoy the peace that surrounds you. Enjoy the way your muscles are relaxed, how your body carries no stress at all. The chains have carried you well, and taken all your burdens from you. Jeff, now you are free. Feel it. Believe it. Soar with wings through the bright blue sky you love so much. Give in to everything, and let the wind carry you," Hugh whispered, his voice so soft it was almost imperceptible. He uttered each word slowly, deliberately slowing down what he wanted to say so Jeff could understand each word as it came and not lose count. 

Jeff breathed in deeply as a way of acknowledging it, and kept on counting. He'd never felt quite so still and relaxed before. And he did feel at peace. Soft hands caressed his body, offering gentle affection to remind him he was still present in his body, even though he felt he was drifting along on a cloud, carried by angels. He could swear he heard them singing softly to him, their soft feathery wings caressing his skin. All around him he could see circles of rainbows, and the darkness was so bright it hurt his eyes. He felt he'd gone somewhere else, somewhere beyond that small basement, somewhere that offered unwavering peace. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt so blissfully content, and it wasn't a feeling he wanted to leave any time soon.

It took a lot of mental effort to signal six hundred to Hugh when he reached it, and he knew it signalled the end of that deep, unwavering peace. Still, he gestured with a hand, and forced himself to whisper the number, feeling it escape like a burst of steam. A hand stroked his head, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

"Good lad. Good lad. You've done well. Now, we're going to slowly bring you back. Signal every two hundred from now on, and keep going until I tell you to stop. Our touch is going to get more persistent, and a little more present. Listen to my voice, always focus on that, and follow my instructions," Hugh whispered. 

Jeff barely nodded in acknowledgement. All he could see in his mind were numbers, but then he felt hands moving along his side, almost like they were lifting him up, and as he breathed in, he felt his body rise with it. The movement of their hands became more present and deliberate. It wasn't barely perceptible caresses anymore. Roy stroked his hair and a hand slipped beneath the chains, rubbing his skin. Hugh began by offering soft kisses, following the chains as they criss-crossed his chest. 

Eight hundred, and then a thousand, came and went, and that was all the sensation Jeff felt. Nothing in their actions changed, but Jeff did feel himself slowly coming back. His body had felt like it had come to rest on a bed of fluffy white clouds, but with their careful tenderness, he could feel it coming back. Hugh would whisper to him every so often, telling him to rise, and find his body again. He spent an age calling back every piece of his anatomy he could name, from his toes to his head, bringing him back into his body. Jeff also began to feel less like he was in a trance, and the intensity of sound decreased, ever so slightly. 

Things began to grow more intense as he reached fourteen hundred. Roy had kissed him, and his hand ran down his arm, stopping over his hand. Roy's fingers wanted to mesh with his, and while it took some concentration to do so, Jeff let him. Hugh had moved down his legs, offering tender kisses everywhere. Jeff could feel the arousal begin to come to the fore. It wasn't more than a wave of warmth that flooded through him, but he knew it for what it was. He smiled. 

No one touched his cock until he reached twenty two hundred. By then, Jeff felt almost ready to wake, spurred on by two hands, from two Doms, taking hold of him as they slowly began to work him. It finished the grounding process for him, and whatever had dragged him down finally let him go. He was able to open his eyes under the blindfold, and feel safe, and at peace, as they stroked him. 

"Alright, you can stop counting now. This is going to be a bit of a slow burn for you, because if we rush, it'll ruin the work we've done today. We're going to make love to you, and it'll make you ache for release, but it'll be worth it by the time we're done with you. Then you can wake. Keep still. Let us do the work for you. Let the chains support you and hold you firm," Hugh murmured. 

Jeff thought his voice was a little louder now, and indeed, their movements became a little more active than they felt before. They held his head, kissed him, their fingers moved across his body, there was always a hand stroking him, slowly teasing arousal out of him. He realised, then, that they were both naked too, and wondered if they'd have sex at all. He wondered when they had stripped off; he felt he ought to have heard the soft glistle of Roy's chainmail, but perhaps he'd been too far in his own mind to be aware of it.

He could feel his heart rate slowly increasing the more they touched him. It was hard to keep still, but the chains reminded him of their presence when he tried to move, keeping him pinned down. Hugh lying on top of him, their hard cocks rubbing together, also kept him still. 

It was a strange sensation, to be so aroused, and yet, keeping so still. He could do nothing to them, and couldn't see anything that they were doing to him, but they did everything to him. He had to stop himself bucking as he felt Hugh start sucked his balls while Roy licked the head of his cock; Roy's beard scratching against his abdomen gave away who was doing what to him. Pleasure jolted through his body, and their hands, and the chains that bound him, forced him, at last, to keep still. 

Jeff had no idea how long it took. He'd stopped counting, at Hugh's command, and it allowed time to drift into all kinds of strange shapes. Not being able to see what they were doing to him, or to each other, only made it worse. His imaginings were certainly filthy enough to compensate, and perhaps that was the point. All he could concentrate on was his arousal, and how long it was taking. He'd had no pay off yet, and they went from paying all their attention to his cock to Hugh kissing his feet and Roy whispering sweet nothings in his ear as he sucked gently on his earlobe. It was maddening. 

He was told to open his mouth, and he extended his tongue in anticipation. He licked when instructed, when a cock touched his tongue, though he wasn't able to tell who it belonged to. He got the feeling they were kneeling either side of his head, giving him the only chance he had to pleasure them by offering their cocks for him to suck on. He didn't know what else they were doing; he imagined they were kissing, their arms around each other, as he sucked them off. He'd never thought he was very good at sucking cock, but they didn't seem to be complaining. 

It didn't last, like everything they did to him. They moved away, and Hugh attacked his cock again, taking him whole into his mouth. Roy returned to his side, lying beside him, his arms around him. Jeff could feel his head leaning against his shoulder, and it was a strange moment of calm that Jeff appreciated. 

"'m really sorry for all the shit we put each other through back then. I should've been better to you," Roy murmured. 

"S'alright, mate, we were - we was just -" Jeff's reply got lost in a silent gasp as Hugh squeezed his cock hard, threatening to bring him over the edge. 

Roy distracted him with a kiss that seemed to go on for days, and Jeff lost himself in his lips, drinking in every touch, every sensation, he offered. Roy held him, embraced him, brought him close, and loved him; it was the closest Jeff had ever come to drowning in him, to find himself so completely focussed on him to the point that everything else fell away. He wished he could hold him back and show him how much he loved him. 

The only thing anchoring him to Hugh was Hugh working him with his hands, bringing him close, and then not delivering. It was beginning to make his balls ache, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. He was hanging on as best he could, so they weren't disappointed by how quickly he'd given in. It was, after all, meant to be a slow burn. 

As Hugh stroked him again, building him so close he was sure he couldn't take another round, Roy whispered in his ear, "Jeff, come," and he fell apart, straining against the chains as pleasure flooded his body. 

He lay back as it faded, deliriously happy, as they slowly unchained him. Jeff didn't move. One by one, the chains were removed and put away, and he lay there, finally able to move, and not bothering. He breathed slowly, letting them work. He wouldn't move until he'd been told to move. 

When they were done, they lay close beside him, their arms tight around him. Jeff dared to hold them back, now that he was able to move, and it made them shift closer, until there was no space between them. Roy gently lifted the blindfold off, and smiled. Jeff had no words; all he managed to do was smile back, and mouth 'thank you' to them. Roy kissed him. Hugh kissed him. He breathed out.

Lying still after lying still did seem strange to Jeff, but it felt wholly appropriate. All Jeff could hear was their breathing, and they lay together, just being still, letting the energy between them dissipate into the darkness. Jeff was sure they'd never felt so close before; whatever distance had been there before, it was gone now, swept away by love. 

Movement came gradually. It started with soft kisses, and tender caresses. Jeff had his chance to love them now, and give back what they'd given to him. He rolled onto his side as he felt Hugh lubing him up. Jeff never thought he'd ever find that sensation at all arousing, but Hugh had a knack for it, and even though Jeff felt utterly spent, he still felt that warmth flood down between his legs, even if it wouldn't, perhaps, get him off just yet. Hugh's fingers teased him, and lifted one of his legs to get better access. That was when Jeff felt Hugh slowly pushed inside him, seeking his own pleasure. Jeff breathed out and smiled as Hugh held him close. 

Facing Roy, Jeff reached for him, not wanting him to feel left out. It was a bit complicated to hold him comfortably, but Roy didn't seem to mind, and got tangled up in them both. Jeff held him close and stroked him, kissed him, did everything he could to bring his master pleasure. That's what he felt his body was for, for his masters to take pleasure from. 

Jeff did his best. Hugh held him close, and didn't let him move too much. Jeff didn't mind; Hugh was always a bit rougher with him than Roy was when they had sex, but he had come to enjoy it. Hugh would manhandle him and move him into whatever position he wanted, and it felt wonderful to have all that control taken away and be used for his master's pleasure. There wasn't so much of that now; Hugh seemed to be aware that Jeff wanted to be close to Roy and get him off, and Jeff appreciated it. Every now and then, Hugh would reach over and pull Roy close, and Jeff had to duck his head out of the way as Hugh brought Roy into a heated kiss, hanging on as he felt Hugh thrust harder into him. Jeff peered up at them and smiled, hoping they might come to love each other as intensely as they both loved him.

Just as Jeff was bringing Roy over the edge, mid-kiss, as he was thrusting into his hands, Jeff felt Hugh pull him close as he thrust harder, finishing off his own pleasure as he came hard inside him. They weren't quite timed together, but once Roy was coming, Hugh wasn't far behind, and Jeff watched them take their pleasure, glad to have been able to help give it to them. Jeff had to hold back as he watched Roy licking his cum off him, knowing it wasn't the time to get aroused, not now.

Exhaustion set in after that. They cleaned up a little and lay together, silent and still, finding their energy. At some point, Hugh dragged a blanket over them, and they huddled together, sleepy and warm. Jeff felt he may have dozed off for a while. He thought Hugh and Roy might be sleeping as well. Everything around them was still and silent, and Jeff was sure there was nowhere else he'd rather be. 

Jeff was the first to wake. He noticed it was dark outside, making it even darker inside the dungeon. He was sure it had been light when Roy'd removed the blindfold. He slipped out from between them, and gently pushed them together to mask his absence, watching as they shifted in response, bringing their arms around each other. Jeff searched around for a fag and lit up, deciding to sit on the steps just outside the platform, the curtains drawn back behind him to give them a chance to sleep. 

He checked his mind as he sat there. He wasn't sure how much time had really passed. The blindfold did tend to distort time to a very strange degree. He felt alright, though, all things considered. Glancing back at his masters, asleep behind the curtain, he finished his cigarette, got up and went to make some tea, hoping to have it ready for when they woke. 

He didn't bother retrieving his clothes. He had a quick shower, just to make sure he was properly clean for when they would head back upstairs. As he stood there, water crashing over him, he noticed he was still quite calm, and his mind wasn't running at the usual thousand miles an hour, filled with worries and plans gone wrong. He felt calm, and sure he could handle whatever the world wanted to throw at him. Indeed, as he stood by the kitchen window, watching the kettle boil, he was almost convinced he was happy. He smiled at that thought, which served to intensify the feeling. 

Hugh and Roy staggered out, still naked, as he poured the water in the pot. They both looked half-asleep, and slumped into the sofa, looking content with themselves. Jeff could've sworn the silvery feather mark over Roy's heart was glowing gently; he was sure he'd never seen it do that before. Taking the tray of tea, Jeff sat down with them. He could still feel that bond between them, and it felt even more intense than it had been before. 

"Made some tea for us, sirs," Jeff said.

"You're a good sub, lad. I think I'll keep you," Hugh said, offering a smile.

"Well, you two looked like you were ready to sleep, so I left you alone. Gave me a bit of time to wash and get something ready for you," Jeff said.

"What time is it, then? I feel like I've been asleep," Roy said.

"Erm, hang on." Jeff dashed over to the bed, and found his watch amongst his clothes. "Er, it's nearly seven, I think," he said as he returned to them. "Yeah, nearly seven."

"We have been here a while, haven't we? I hope Ruby's alright up there with Holly. She'll probably be wondering where we are," Hugh said.

"I'm sure they're fine. Did we tell them to make us some supper, or didn't we think we'd be here this late?" Roy said.

Jeff shrugged, trying to remember. "Well, I mean, it's not that late, but I didn't think we'd be here this long. When did we come down here again? Wasn't it two?" 

Hugh shook his head. "After lunch. I thought we'd be done at two, given you only wanted a whipping. I didn't expect - well, I didn't expect the rest of it."

"I did enjoy the rest of it, though, sirs. Like, really enjoyed it. Never thought it could ever feel that good. Never thought that sort of thing would ever bring me peace, but it did. Thank you. I needed that," Jeff said.

"You did really well, Jeff. I didn't think you'd respond to it that well, but if you keep that up, maybe you'll pick up all the skills I want to teach you sooner than I thought you would. That's good to know. How'd it feel when you went really deep?" Hugh said.

"Like I was floating on clouds. My body had disappeared. There were all these colours and angels singing. It was the closest thing to bliss I've ever felt, like, ever," Jeff said, reminding himself of the sensation. He could still feel the peace radiating throughout his body. He'd never felt so relaxed in his life. 

"That's good. That's what I was hoping for. You can clearly count to two thousand while you're under, so that's definitely promising. I'd like to repeat what we tried a few more times, though, just to make sure it's not a fluke. Once I know you can do it without prompting, and I know you'll get to that point every time, then we'll progress. But it's a good start, that's for sure. I'm impressed. I'm very proud of you. I hope you're proud of yourself too," Hugh said.

"Yeah, I am. I knew it'd be intense, but I dunno, whatever you did in there, it worked. I could relax in there. I found peace. I'm not even worried about anything. I think we've found something that really works, sirs, and I couldn't be happier," Jeff said.

"And Roy thinks he's the bloody wizard, hey?" Hugh said with a teasing smile. "I think I just worked some incredible magic in there. That'll be tough to beat."

Roy declined to look impressed, or threatened. "Do it while on the run from a dragon, and then maybe I'll be impressed."

"Oi, is that a challenge? Cos I'd be up for that," Hugh said, turning to face him, eagerness in his expression.

"You'd never outsmart a dragon in a million years. They'd burn you to a crisp. No, here's what's happening. Next time, I'm in charge, and you'll see just how good I really am when I'm left to do things my way. I'll flog you into a trance so deep you'll be seeing stars, Jeff, by the time I'm done with you," Roy said.

Jeff shivered at the thought. Roy could do things with a whip Jeff couldn't possibly conceive of, and the thought that he'd take him into trance with only a whip made him flush with excitement. "Yes, sir, that sounds amazing," he forced himself to say.

"Well, go on, lad, pour the tea. We'll have a cuppa, and get cleaned up, then we'd better head back upstairs. Can't keep Holly waiting forever to see her dad," Roy said, making a decision for them all.

"Yes, sir, right away," Jeff said with a bow as he went to pour the tea. 

Jeff didn't waste any time on it. The sooner they were done, the sooner he could head back and spend some time with Holly before she had to go to bed. He was glad he was in a good state of mind for her. Normally, he was in all kinds of worry about her, but none of that bothered him at that moment. He'd had a wonderful session with his two masters, and he had found an inner peace he'd been searching half his life for. Genuine happiness didn't feel quite as unreachable as it had earlier in the day. 

"Here you go, sirs, drink up," Jeff said, bringing them their tea. 

"Good lad. Stand down, hey? We're not taking that upstairs, yeah?" Roy said as he took his tea gratefully.

"Yessi- yeah, of course not. Thanks again, Roy. I really do love you, y'know, and I love having you here, even if I'm daft and not great at telling you that," Jeff said, consciously switching his mind from submission. 

Roy smiled and kissed him. "I know. I'm glad you didn't send me away when I came to see you. I don't need to lie to you about what happened, and maybe you don't realise how much I need that. I'm not sure what I would've done if this hadn't worked out. I know I sometimes get mad about it, but I'm still getting used to being back. I'm still trying to get them to drop the record of my death, but at least I've got you while I argue with bureaucrats." 

Hugh leant over and kissed his cheek. "Have I ever told you how I love you when you're angry?" he said sweetly.

Roy brushed him off and got up, moving away from them. Turning back to them, he offered one last commanding look. "Oi, no more messing about. Drink yer tea, get cleaned, and tidy up. We're heading up at half seven, and if you're not ready, you can stay behind."

That spurred them on. Jeff was glad he'd already showered, and volunteered to tidy up the chains while Roy and Hugh got clean. Some of them were messy, and they were cleaned in the bathroom sink before being hung up to dry. They would be out of sight, and could be put away properly later on. The rest of the chains and locks were put away in the chest by the wall. He tidied up the bed, straightened the pillows, and folded the blanket. Retrieving their clothes, as well as his own, he closed the curtains on the bed, and left it alone. 

Ten minutes later, they were all dressed and ready, and the basement cleaned up properly. Their mugs had been cleaned, the pot emptied, the whip put away, and the curtains drawn across the dungeon. Taking one last look to make sure nothing was out of place, Jeff knelt at Roy's feet, bowing his head so his master could unlock the collar. Jeff felt Hugh rest a hand on his shoulder.

"You ready to ascend, lad? You've done well today. I'm very pleased," Roy said.

"Thank you, sir," Jeff replied.

"Yeah, I think he's going to be fine if we keep up this sort of training with him. So, did you want to do the honours, or shall I?" Hugh said.

"You do it. He's your sub, too. You got every right to unlock that collar. It shouldn't be me all the time. Makes me feel like you're still my sub, and you're not," Roy said. "We're meant to be two Doms and a sub, not one Dom with two subs."

"Alright, yeah, that's a fair point. I'm the one who looks after the key anyway. C'mon, Jeff, bend over a bit, and I'll get this unlocked," Hugh said, encouraging him to bend over a little with his hand.

Jeff moved as requested, and waited silently as Hugh unlocked the collar and removed it. It felt strange to be rid of it after such a long session, but it was the last thing that kept that submissive mindset in place. Now that it was gone, he breathed out, leaving that behind with the collar. He got up; there was no expectation to be submissive anymore. Roy offered a kiss. Hugh put the collar back in its box and returned it to its place in a locked cupboard beside the door. He slipped the keys into his pocket.

"So, we all set, then? Got all our kisses out of our system, then?" Hugh said as he picked out the keys to unlock the main door so they could head upstairs.

Jeff didn't miss the chance to kiss Hugh, just for the sake of it. "Yeah, now we're done. Unless you want to kiss as well," he teased, hoping to goad them into it.

Roy grabbed Hugh's shirt and pulled him close, offering a heated kiss that Jeff rather enjoyed, if he was being honest. Hugh held him back, kissing him with rather intense passion. It ended with a hug, and Jeff was surprised to see Roy seem so happy and keen to be in Hugh's arms. Perhaps there was hope for them yet.

Once they were finally ready to go, which required a few more kisses, the door was unlocked, and they ascended the stairs to the main part of the house, leaving the dungeon and its passions behind, for now, shut away from the world.

Holly came running as she heard them leave the basement, arms outstretched, reaching for her father. 

"Daddy! Daddy! Have you been working hard? Ruby said you'd been working very hard in your workshop!"

Jeff picked her up, and she hugged him, pleased to see him. "Yeah, we've been working very hard, but it's been good down there. We had a good time. How've you been? Has Ruby taken good care of you?" 

"Yes, she has. We went to the park after school, and we picked flowers and chased some birds, and then she bought me a ice cream, and now we're making drawings of birds with ice cream feathers," Holly said excitedly.

Jeff let her squirm free and put her down as she went to greet Roy and Hugh. She cried out Roy's name as she ran to him. Roy picked her up and spun her around, and she squealed with laughter as she clung on tight. 

"Birds with ice cream feathers, hey? I can't say I've seen those before. How bout you show us what you've been drawing, hey?" Roy said. 

He put her down, and she grabbed Hugh's hand, along with Jeff's, and led them to the front room, where Ruby was sitting on the sofa, surrounded by paper, crayons, and drawings of strange creatures. She smiled as she saw them, and Holly sat down purposefully, picking out the best ones. 

"You were a while. Did you have a difficult problem to solve?" Ruby said.

"Yeah, something like that. How's she been? I'm assuming you've eaten, then?" Jeff said. 

"She's been fine, like she always is. There's some dinner in the fridge for you, if you're hungry. And now that you're back, you can keep her busy until bed. I need to be off early tomorrow to see my parents, remember? I can trust you to take care of her for a few days, can't I?" she said with a teasing smile.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Go on, we'll take care of her. Thanks, hey? You go rest. I'm sure you've earned it," Jeff said. 

"Just keep it down, hey? I really do need to sleep tonight," Ruby said. She knelt down beside Holly. "Goodnight, Holly. I'll see you in a few days, alright? You be good for your daddy, and Roy, and Hugh, yeah?" 

Holly turned to her and hugged her. "Night night, Ruby. Miss you, Ruby. I'll be good, promise. I'll draw you lots of car flowers."

"Night night, Hol. I can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll draw for me," Ruby said, hugging her back. 

"Come on, Holly, let's go draw some giraffes with top hats and feather boas while daddy goes to make our supper," Roy said, sitting down beside Holly, giving Ruby space to leave.

"Goodnight, hey? I'll call you when I get there. Sleep well," Ruby said as she left.

"C'mon, Hugh, let's leave the artists alone to create their masterpieces," Jeff said, gesturing for Hugh to follow him. 

Hugh leant against the kitchen bench as Jeff found their supper. Ruby had made some stew, and it was easy enough to heat up over the stove. Jeff stirred it gently, a little lost in thought. 

"Hey, so, you alright, then? Mind's in a good place? Only it got a bit heated down there, and I wasn't sure we brought you back properly before we unchained you," Hugh said, breaking the silence, though he kept his voice low so they wouldn't be overheard. 

Jeff shrugged as he turned to him. "Nah, it was good. I was ready for it by the time you got around to that point. I liked that you took your time with it, and that thing you did, where you named all the parts of my body, that really worked to bring me back."

"That's good. I'm glad you're alright. You went deeper than I was expecting, and I didn't want that drop to hit later tonight because we didn't bring you back properly," Hugh said.

"Nah, well, I know what that feels like, since you made me sit through it, so I'd know what to look for. And I ain't feeling like that. We're alright. But thanks fer checking. It did kind of end with us all asleep," Jeff said.

"Like I said, I always check, particularly after a long session like that. I'll sleep with you tonight so I can keep an eye on you, though, just in case. I'm sure you'll be alright, if you're feeling alright, but we did something new down there, and I can't say for certain how you'll react to it. Just - talk to me, yeah? If you feel that drop coming on? I can do some extra aftercare with you later if you need it," Hugh said.

Jeff nodded. "Yeah, thanks, sir. I might talk it through with you later anyway, just to process it all, but I don't think there'll be a drop. I'll still enjoy your company, though."

"I'd like that too. It'll help me work out what to do next with you, once you've mastered this skill. You still feeling that deep peace you said you felt earlier?" Hugh said.

"Yeah, I am. Still calm. Still not worried about Ruby not being here for the next few days. If I got through two years on my own, I can manage a few days with you and Roy. It's not a huge burden like it felt before, y'know?" Jeff said.

"Yeah, I know. That's really good to hear. We'll see how long this lasts, so we can figure out if we should schedule it regularly for you, just to keep you sane," Hugh said. "You need me to help with that at all?" 

"Er," Jeff turned his attention back to the pot, "just get some bowls out. We'll eat in the front room. Seems a shame to distract her from her drawings."

"I'm still amazed she's never tried to draw on the walls, given the amount of time she spends drawing things. I blame Roy," Hugh decided. 

"So do I. She always drew a lot once she could hold a crayon, but it's never been this bad. She hardly does anything else now, except when we take her to the park to give her ideas for more things to draw," Jeff said. He had to laugh. "At least it's only drawing. It keeps her busy, and quiet. What more could a dad ask for?" 

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'd really like my dinner not to be burnt," Hugh said.

"Oh, shit," Jeff muttered, turning back to the pot as he took it off the flame. He'd been lucky. He hadn't burnt anything. It was just getting a little thick on one part of the edge, but the rest wasn't ruined. "Here, get me some bowls. I'll dish this out so we can eat. I'm starving."

Hugh dutifully got three bowls out and got out of the way as Jeff portioned out their supper. When they returned to the front room, Holly was drawing what looked like a large tree with a door in it, while Roy sketched something beside her that looked something like a dragon.

"Here ya go, Roy. You hungry?" Jeff said, offering him a bowl.

Roy looked up, taking it gratefully. "Oh, yeah, thanks." 

Jeff and Hugh sat on the sofa, and Holly decided to join them, shifting up close to Jeff, her arms around him. 

"Just be careful, hey, Hol? Daddy and Hugh have hot food with us, and we wouldn't want you getting burnt," Jeff cautioned, doing his best to keep it away from her.

"S'alright, daddy, I know. You were gone a long time, daddy. Imma give you cuddles for all the ones you missed," Holly said.

Jeff smiled. "Alright, you give me all the cuddles while I have my supper."

Holly grinned, and started telling him about her day. Jeff glanced down at her every so often, while they talked and ate, watching her gradually drift off to sleep. After a while, Hugh went to make some tea, and they talked quietly, planning out the next few days. It would be a bit tricky with only the three of them, but at least Roy was able to cover any time when neither Hugh nor Jeff could be there, since, as he was still legally dead, he couldn't work. Roy still grumbled about it; he'd never liked having nothing to do, and Jeff was sure it was half the reason he'd spent so much time drawing with Holly. 

By the time they were done, and everything had been organised, Holly was curled up asleep beside her father, and Jeff almost didn't want to move her. 

"I think she really missed you, Jeff," Hugh commented, keeping his voice soft. 

"Yeah, maybe we shouldn't have too many long sessions like that. I don't want her to think I care more about that than I care about her, y'know?' Jeff said. "Roy, you wanna come and carry her to bed? I'll probably only wake her if I try."

"Sure, though I thought she'd last a little longer than that. We weren't that late coming back," Roy said, getting to his feet.

"Ahh, but she did run around the park for hours. Ruby's good at tiring her out," Hugh said.

"She is good at that, yeah," Jeff conceded.

"Alright, here I go," Roy said. He leant down and gently picked up the sleeping girl. She shifted a bit, but didn't wake, and Roy began the slow walk up to her room to put her to bed. Jeff and Hugh weren't far behind him, following him up the stairs.

She had woken a little by the time Jeff and Hugh arrived, seeing Roy tucking her into bed. They stood in the doorway, close, but keeping watch. Roy had proved to be the best at putting her to bed, and neither Hugh nor Jeff were willing to stop him, though she still expected them both to say goodnight to her as well.

"Story?" she pleaded, though she didn't sound like she could stay awake long enough for one.

Roy sat down beside her, and thought a moment. "Alright, I got one. There was once a magical forest, filled with magical fairies-"

"Like the ones I saw!" Holly whispered in awe.

Roy nodded. "Just like the ones you saw. They sparkled brightly, and flitted through the trees, looking for treasure. The fairies loved looking for treasure, and they took everything they found back to their special fairy house, which was made from-"

"Sparkles and clam shells and flowers!" Holly added.

Roy didn't mind the interruption, and continued, including her additions. "Yeah, that's right, it was made out of bright colourful sparkles, purple clam shells, and the most beautiful flowers they could find. It was the most beautiful fairy house in the forest. For a long time, they didn't find very much treasure, until one day, they came across a clearing, with a strange wooden chest in the middle of it. They'd never seen that clearing before, but the chest sparkled and drew them near. It had the figure of a dragon on it-"

"My little red dragon, that one, with the horn on its nose," Holly whispered, still managing to sound enthusiastic the closer she got to sleep.

Roy smiled. "Yes, that little red one with the horn on its nose. You named her Francie, didn't you?" 

Holly nodded, and pulled her toy dragon close. "Franciedragon, yeah."

"Well, the chest had a small figure of Francie on it, made out of gold, and she was surrounded by glittering coloured orbs made of glass. Katrin, the leader of the fairies, went to investigate, and as she approached the chest, it began to…"

Roy lent back, watching Holly drift off, her toy dragon clutched close to her chest. He looked over at Jeff and Hugh, who were quietly waiting in the doorway. "She's asleep," he whispered. "I didn't think that'd take long."

Roy leant down and gave her a goodnight kiss. Hugh and Jeff joined him and offered their own goodnight kisses. Leaving her to sleep, Jeff switched off the light, and closed the door. He smiled, imagining all the amazing dreams she'd be having. 

"So, what now? Bed?" Jeff said.

"We should clean up first, then head to bed. Jeff, get started on the kitchen, I'll go gather the dishes, and Roy, you'd better tidy all those drawings," Hugh said.

"Alright, sure. You sleeping with Jeff tonight, then?" Roy said.

Hugh nodded. "Yeah, just to keep an eye on him. That alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I've got some work to do before bed, anyway. I'd just keep you both up," Roy said.

"You still working on those books, then?" Hugh said.

"Yeah, might as well. I keep testing them out on Holly. If she likes them, I get to work on them. I've already got three stories planned out. Hopefully, once I'm no longer dead, I can start trying to get them finished and published," Roy said.

"Y'know, I never thought you'd want to be a writer, but if you were going to write anything, it'd be kids' books, hey?" Jeff said.

"Look, it keeps him busy, and he really needs that right now," Hugh said.

"Yeah, that's true. You know what I'm like when I have nothing to do. Anyway, we'd better go tidy up, speaking of drawings. I did a few good ones down there I'd like to save for later," Roy said.

Roy led them back downstairs to tidy up before bed. Working together, they made quick work of it, and soon, Hugh and Jeff were offering Roy a goodnight kiss of their own before retreating to Jeff's room. Jeff sat down on the bed, feeling tired. Hugh joined him. 

"Still feeling alright, then?" Hugh asked.

Jeff shrugged. "Yeah, I'll be right. Thanks fer this afternoon. I really needed that."

"I know. I'm glad it worked out for you. Did you want to do anything before bed, or are you as wrecked as I feel?" Hugh said.

"Sleep sounds good, yeah. We both got work tomorrow anyway," Jeff said.

"Bloody work," Hugh sighed. "Alright, bed it is."

They wasted little time getting changed and slipping into bed. Hugh snuggled close to him, and Jeff had to smile. They shared a kiss, and a little tenderness, as they drifted off. 

"You think we can really make this work?" Jeff asked softly.

"Of course we can. Now, stop worrying, or I'll redo what I did to you down there, just so I can get you to fucking sleep, alright?" Hugh whispered back, letting a little dominance enter his voice as he held him close.

Jeff shivered, and let Hugh turn him round. They kissed, and Hugh held him, and Jeff felt safe.

"Sorry. It's not – I'm not worried, I'm just-"

"You're just always like this at night. I know. I've slept with you long enough to know that. Here, I brought you something that might help," Hugh said.

Jeff lay there as Hugh reached over to the bedside table and brought out a blindfold. Why he hadn't thought of that before, he didn't know.

"I know we don't do that stuff up here for a reason, and this isn't even one we've ever used down there, but it might help you remember that feeling of peace," Hugh said.

"Alright, sure, I'll give it a go," Jeff said. "But I think you need to be the one to put it on. That's not my job."

"I know," Hugh said. "Sit up a bit, I'll get it on for you."

Jeff obeyed, propping himself up on his elbows as Hugh put the blindfold on him. It certainly wasn't the same as the ones they'd used in the dungeon; this one seemed to be a length of material, a scarf perhaps, though it wasn't quite opaque enough to block out all the light. Still, it had the desired effect, and Jeff lay back, feeling that sense of peace come over him.

"That better?" Hugh said, lying down beside him.

"Yeah, it is, yeah," Jeff said. "Thanks."

Hugh pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Good lad. Now, off to bed. You'd better sleep well tonight, or I'll tan yer hide."

Jeff smiled, but didn't reply. He felt Hugh bring him close, and together, as they lay there in the darkness, Jeff felt at peace with the world. He breathed out.


End file.
